Fire Rose Hillson
I stood across the room, my eyes glued to Cronus as he moved through the crowd toward a table where a group of people sat. The museum's grand opening was supposed to be a joyous occasion, but the moment that woman hugged him and clung to him like some kind of an animal desperately in need of human touch, all I could see then was red.
My grip on the champagne glass tightened as jealousy flared within me. I tried to keep it in check. We weren't officially together, after all. We just liked each other, nothing more. No declarations, no defined boundaries. Yet, my expression betrayed me, no matter how hard I tried to hide my jealousy It was clearly projected on the way I was looking at them and I was very aware of this but I couldn't help it.
I admit I am a freak.
I didn't even know who these people were, but it didn't matter. What mattered was that Cronus, who had promised to watch over me closely tonight, was now clearly busy hugging another woman. I felt a pang of pity for myself, wondering if his words earlier had meant anything at all.
"Why do you look like you're ready to set something on fire?" Ressi's voice came quietly from beside me, making me jump.
"Ressi! You scared me," I whispered, my eyes quickly returning to Cronus. Ressi followed my gaze and saw Cronus talking to a group of people. "Oh, I know those folks," she said with a knowing smile.
"That boy in the dark suit? That's Cronus's youngest brother, Crius. Cute, isn't he? And the guy with the slicked-back hair with the navy blazer? That's Themis, Cronus's other brother—the second oldest among the Romano siblings."
My gaze hardened as Ressi continued. "And the woman in the red dress, with the raven hair and perfect smile? That's Catrina, Cronus's ex-girlfriend."
I turned sharply to face Ressi. "Ex? Why is she here?"
"Duh, She was invited by Cronus's brother," Ressi explained with a shrug. "Probably Themis. I met them through Gerald."
A multitude of questions raced through my mind. Why did Catrina still have such an easy familiarity with Cronus? What was her intention being here tonight? My heart pounded as I struggled to contain my feelings.
Cronus looked up from his conversation and caught sight of me. For a moment, his expression softened, but then he turned his attention back to his family. I sighed, taking a sip of my champagne to steady myself. Ressi nudged me gently.
"Hey, don't let it get to you," Ressi said. "Cronus is crazy about you. Anyone can see that."
I tried to smile. "I know, but seeing them together..."
Ressi nodded. "Yeah, I get it. But look at it this way, if he really wanted to be with Catrina, he would have already done so. He's here, with you. That says something."
I nodded at Ressi's comments, but my attention kept drifting back to Cronus. We continued our conversation, but I couldn't shake the unease settling in my chest. I watched as Cronus moved away from the table and started talking to Gerald and Seth. My heart pounded, and I tried to stay focused on what Ressi was saying.
But then, I saw her. Catrina approached Cronus again, her movements fluid and confident. They started talking, and I felt my jealousy surge uncontrollably. I could feel my face heating up, my anger barely contained.
I tried to listen to Ressi, but all I could do was stare angrily at Cronus. The sight of them together made my heart ache, and I struggled to keep my emotions in check. Catrina's smile made me doubt the confidence I had in myself and how Cronus see appearance-wise now that he saw her again would he be able to compare me and her?, believe me, Catrina is a hard Ex to forget I can tell that as a woman myself.
Watching how close they seemed to be, made my jealousy went through the roof. He didn't seem to notice the way I was watching them, or if he did, he didn't care. Finally, Catrina walked away, leaving Cronus standing there. He looked in my direction, and for a moment, our eyes met. I quickly turned away, trying to mask my feelings. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside me.
Just as I was regaining my composure, the sound of a microphone tapping echoed through the room. Don Lorenzo Romano stood on the small stage, ready to address the guests.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us tonight to celebrate the grand opening of our museum. This project has been a labor of love, and it brings me great joy to see so many of you here."
The crowd applauded politely. Cronus, now free from his conversation, made his way towards me. I could feel my heart racing as he approached.
"Rose," he said softly, reaching out to take my hand. "I'm sorry about that. Catrina just caught me off guard."
"It caught me off guard too," I made my voice calm and composed, I didn't want to ruin everyone's night so I masked off everything that I felt "It's fine, Cronus. Really."
Cronus looked deeply into my eyes. "No, you're not. I don't want you to think that there's anything between us."
I leaned in a little, my voice lowering to a whisper. "Cronus, I'm not some delicate flower that wilts at the sight of an ex." I gave him a playful wink, though the intensity in my gaze remained.
Cronus eyes soften. "Can we talk about what your angry about?"
"Not tonight." I cut it short and cold.
A little while later, I excused myself to go to the powder room. As I started to walk away, Cronus reached out to stop me. "Do you want me to come with you?"
I shook my head, giving him a reassuring smile. "No, I just need a moment alone. I'll be right back."
He nodded, though he looked a bit reluctant. "Alright, but don't take too long. I'll be waiting."
As I walked down the quiet hallway, I felt a chill run down my spine. Just as I was about to reach the door, Nicholas stepped out of the shadows, blocking my path.
"Rose," he said, his tone deceptively sweet. "I've been waiting for the right moment to talk to you without your guard dog around."
I stood my ground, my voice steady and fierce. "What do you want, Nicholas?"
He took a step closer, his expression darkening. "To remind you where you belong. With me."
I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "In your dreams, Nicholas. I belong where I choose to be, and it's certainly not with you. Honestly, you're such a fucking attention seeker it's disgusting."
Nicholas's face twisted with anger. "You always had a mouth on you, Rose."
"And you always had a thick skull," I shot back, my tone dripping with sarcasm. "But I see you're still not getting the message. Should I spell it out for you in smaller words?"
He reached out to grab my arm, but I quickly pulled away. "Don't touch me," I said sharply. "You just never learn your lesson, do you?"
Nicholas's eyes flashed with fury. "You think you're so tough, huh?"
I smirked, crossing my arms. "Well, I did manage to put you in your place more than once. So i think I'm good."
Before he could respond, a voice called out from behind. "Is there a problem here?"
It was Seth, standing tall and imposing in the doorway. Nicholas hesitated, then turned and walked away, muttering under his breath.
Seth walked up to me, his expression concerned. "Are you okay, Rose?"
I nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks, Seth."
He offered me a reassuring smile. "Come on, let's get back to the party. Cronus will be worried."
As we strolled back to the main hall, feeling a relief that Nicholas didn't cause a scene. Despite his futile attempts to intimidate me, I'm always ready to drag his ass out of this museum and tie him somewhere far if needed. I don't understand why his obsess with me, or maybe It's not me his after, I know him he maybe stupid but his a con man.
I guess I could never let my guard down around him.
